My toddler eats almost nothing except pasta and bread. Is that normal?
Yes, picky eating is very common between about two and six. After the fast growth of the first year, children's appetite naturally slows, and many become suspicious of new or mixed foods. This caution probably once protected small children from eating something harmful. Plain, beige, predictable foods feel safe. A helpful principle is the division of responsibility: you decide what is offered, when and where; your child decides whether to eat and how much. Offer family meals with at least one food your child usually accepts, next to small amounts of other foods, without pressure, bribes or "one more bite" deals. Children often need many calm exposures to a new food before they taste it, so seeing, smelling and touching it all count. Let them help with shopping, washing vegetables or stirring. Keep mealtimes pleasant and fairly short, and avoid constant snacking or filling up on milk or juice between meals. Look at what your child eats over a week rather than a single day; it usually balances out more than it seems. Your own relaxed attitude to food is one of the strongest influences.
When to get help
Talk to your pediatrician if your child is losing weight or not growing as expected, accepts only a very small number of foods and the list keeps shrinking, gags, chokes or vomits regularly with eating, seems to have pain when eating or swallowing, or if mealtimes cause intense distress for your child or the family.
This answer is general information and does not replace medical or psychological advice. Updated:
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